News Archive - December 2015

Schoolgirl sends visa plea to Cameron for disabled grandfather

A 10-year-old girl has written to David Cameron asking him to allow her grandfather, who is in a refugee camp in Turkey, to come to Britain after he was three times refused a UK visa to visit his family.

Abdulkarim Damous, 76, let Syria in April after his home in Idlib was taken over by ISIS. His two sons have been UK citizens for 10 years and run a garage in Exeter, Devon. They have both written to the Queen and the Prime Minister asking permission for their elderly father to stay with them.

Now Shakira has written to Mr Cameron, pleading for her grandfather to be allowed to spend the winter in Britain.

She told the North Devon Journal: "I feel sad and a bit guilty because we can't bring him here."

A Downing Street spokesman said the little girl’s letter would be considered.

Her father, Ahmed said: "I can't sleep and can't rest for worrying about him. I feel guilty to live here in relative luxury when our dad is suffering. We are desperate for someone to help us.

"We have our own homes, and enough money to support him. We won't be a burden on anyone."

Abdulkarim Damous, who is disabled, has been living in the refugee camp since fleeing from the civil war like thousands of people who have tried to escape from the fighting and bombing in the country

Shakira wrote in her letter that having her grandfather in the UK was the only thing she wanted for Christmas.

The Home Office said that it looked at all UK visa applications on “their individual merits”. A spokesman added that this included “any compelling and compassionate circumstances” but this must be in line with immigration regulations.